Goodbye, Lucy
by buttercupbella
Summary: Natsu didn't know if it was the last, either- a story of sacrifices, misconceptions, and not-so-happy endings; a story that will lead them back to where it all began. /undergoing revision
1. It was a lie

**Chapter One: It Was a Lie**

_buttercupbella_

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><p>Lucy Heartphilia gripped her golden keys defensively. Tears started to tinge her eyes red-a cry wanted to get out from her throat but it couldn't; her voice was being drained by something she kept inside.<p>

Fear.

_Why me? Why save the weakest for the last strike?_, she thought, for the clock was ticking. A muscular man with tough features laughed. "I admit I like your mother better."

"D-don't you dare talk about her! People like you are not worthy to trash my mother like that!", Lucy forced to shout with anger, knowing that if she could pretend she wasn't the least bit scared then everything would turn out just fine. Problem is, she was rattling all the way because she was seriously afraid.

She looked up. There they were- Gray, Erza, Wendy, Happy, Charle. All unconscious, floating above a black laser, and if they ever moved, a jolt of electricity overwhelmed them.

Then there was Natsu. He was separated and locked in an impenetrable cell filled with ice-cold water. But he didn't dare close his eyes. Instead he was kicking, punching, pushing with all his might, everything he could do to get out of the cell. Bubbles formed from his mouth_. Let me out here, you bastard!_

"Please!" Lucy fell to her buckling knees, gripping the man's teal pants. "Let them go. They don't have anything to do with this!"

"Of course they have, my dear," the man said, pinching Lucy's chin. "I would definitely let them watch you die."

Natsu's eyes widened. A red light blazed out from his soul. _You idiot! Don't you ever dare touch Luce!_

The man kicked Lucy away. Her body flew up, twisting and flying with gravel. She collided with the ground like a mannequin. A pained groan escaped from her.

Lucy crawled, eyeing the man for mercy, never caring if she was to be hit again. "W-why..do you have to do this?"

The man bent down and produced a holographic image of what appeared to be a piece of blueberry cheesecake. "Oh, you don't remember?"

"R-remember what?"

"Remember," the man mused. "Happy birthday, Lucy Heartphilia."

* * *

><p><strong>Days Ago<strong>

Lucy's insides screamed with joy. She just finished her novel, entitled 'What Matters Most' in two months. This time she had been confident about it since it was centered around Fairy Tail's misadventures and crazy telltales. She grasped the raw manuscript while turning the knob to the door of her house.

"Hi Lucy! I thought we'd have a feast tonight, since Happy brought home a ton of fish from the mini-glacier!", Natsu Dragneel boomed, munching on a chicken leg while plopping down on Lucy's leather couch. Lucy sighed resentfully. "Can't you just go home, guys? Anyway, are you sure it's not from Gray's bathtub?"

"No, of course not, Lucy!", Happy said. He pulled the papers out of Lucy's hands. "What's this? Another story?"

Lucy snatched the manuscript back and hugged it to her chest. "None of your business, cat. I'm sure you'd rip it again and tell me it's good when in fact you didn't read it."

Natsu gobbled up a chocolate chip cookie. "Sorry for that, Luce! I'm just thinking; remember that tree with the treasure? Can you ask Virgo accompany you there later?"

Lucy rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out. "Find your own shovel, Natsu. Besides, I don't intend to use my magic power for little treasure hunts."

"It's not that", Natsu grinned. "It's far more important." Natsu and Happy walked out the door and pointed to the wall clock. "Eight o'clock Lucy! Thanks!"

Then they were gone.

Lucy stomped her foot at the mess. "I'm sure Virgo would love a date today, Natsu." She fished a golden key from her pocket and shouted, "Open! A door to the virgin! Virgo!"

Virgo appeared beneath the mist and uttered, "Anything you need, mistress?"

"Virgo", Lucy said. "Go meet up with Natsu. Now." She begged longingly and mouthed, 'Please.'

"Yes, mistress," Virgo bowed, her hibiscus colored hair fluttering in the air. She dug right into the floor like a life-sized electric drill. "Hey!," Lucy jumped frantically. "No one told you to go meet up with Natsu **and** destroy my cabin!"

After five hours of vacuuming and hammering the broken wooden planks, Lucy decided to wash the grime from her body. Just when she was about to take a bath, she noticed the time. She had tidied up the house, refilled her pens, and kept the novel in her backpack, yet, still, Virgo hasn't made any signs of her presence. Lucy huffed. Forget the lovebirds. Just go get a bath and relax. Not one thing to worry about.

She tore off her clothes and took a long shower. What if Virgo would be shish-kebabbed? That would explain why Natsu was so eager to have a feast.

Lucy shook her head warily. No. Natsu liked Virgo. But…what if he abducted her? Or worse…

She slipped on a towel and got out of the bathroom. Lucy pinched her arm. "This is what you get from reading suspense, Lucy Heartphilia."

Against her own conscience, Lucy stepped out into the dark night, clutching a yellow towel and a flashlight.

**;.;**

Natsu yawned at the flapping of Happy's wings. "Virgo, can you tell Lucy she's late? It's eight thirty and the crickets are the only things I hear."

Virgo whispered, "I sense my mistress doesn't have the keys. Maybe she went someplace else."

Natsu groaned. "I'm going to her house. Happy, can you come with me?"

Happy saluted him. "Aye, captain."

Natsu walked right into the city, noticing the people's lights all turned off. He sniffed the air. "Weird, I can smell Lucy's shampoo from here." Natsu continued to trudge along the sad sidewalk, casually lighting up a small flame. He stopped again, motioning for Happy's nose. "This time, I can actually smell her scorched slippers, the ones we accidentally burned."

Just when Natsu turned his head towards the horizon, something hit him.

KAA-BOONK!

Natsu yelled, clutching his head and lying beside a worn-out flashlight. A female voice sneered.

"Where's Virgo?"

Natsu jumped back up when he heard Lucy talking. "Lucy! I—"

KAA-POOW!

This time, Lucy kicked Natsu in the face. She shouted, "I said, where the hell is Virgo?!"

Happy shuddered while helping Natsu up. "I really get the feeling this is Edo Lucy!"

"Shut up, Cat!", Lucy screamed. Natsu stood up and rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing dripping wet, Luce? I told you, eight o'clock."

"Hello?", Lucy fanned herself. "I even sent Virgo way ahead of that eight o'clock you're talking about."

Natsu's jaw dropped. "You bookworm. I told YOU to go at eight, not just Virgo." He sighed then grabbed Lucy's moist hand.

"Wha-," Lucy protested, holding her towel tighter and tighter. Now I'm getting shish kebabbed.

Natsu led her to the woods, kindling a fire that shone brighter than the moonlight. Lucy's heart throbbed, waiting for the sight of Virgo tied up over the flames.

Instead, Virgo was standing under the tree, holding a bottle of wine beside a Victorian table.

Lucy's grip loosened. Why in the world am I barging into a date?

Natsu waved at Virgo. "Here she is. All fresh from a shower."

"Mistress," Virgo said, "here are your clothes."

"What the hell is this?" Lucy gagged. "I'm not gonna strip in front of everyone!"

Immediately, Virgo put her palm in front of Natsu and Happy's eyes. Happy said, "Lucy is so noisy and scary."

Lucy ignored him and tried on her new clothes, carefully meshing each ribbon on the front. When she was done, she exclaimed, "Is this a sacrificial ritual or something? Why do I have to wear this?"

Natsu removed Virgo's hand from his face and cackled. "You're crazy. Virgo, you can leave now. Thanks!"

Virgo nodded and vanished in a puff of smoke. Lucy staggered. "I-I told you this was a sacrificial ritual."

Natsu neared towards the candles and lit them up. A shadow of orange passed through his face as he smiled genuinely. "It's not a sacrifice, Lucy. It's a date."

"Yeah, a date. Um, happy birthday? And here's your gift," Natsu replied, tossing a velvety box to Lucy.

D-don't tell me..,Lucy thought, weird ideas flooding her dainty little head. With a cautious stance, she flipped it open. A wave of relief passed through her.

"It's beautiful," Lucy gasped as a silver, diamond studded key dangled on her finger. "You actually got a stellar spirit key?"

"No," Natsu said. "It's a key to whatever you believe in."

* * *

><p>The man began telling his tale, with so much pride. "Lucy Heartphilia, you know me, do you? I was a dear childhood friend of Laila. I was a stellar spirit mage, but I was so weak Laila had to protect me in every battle. But, guess what? I fell in love with her," he said.<p>

Lucy released a smirk. "Too bad she never liked you back."

"Yes, little lady, too bad**. For you**. If it weren't for her rejection you wouldn't be suffering right now."

"I'd gladly suffer for my mother," Lucy shouted back.

The man was named Vilcraw. Lucy thought it was odd but fitting for his darkness.

Lucy raised the silver key and used all her vitality to stand up. She faced Natsu and smiled with melancholy. "I believe that this key can erase the existence of a world-class, idiotic buffoon."

Vilcraw snickered and folded his arms. "Is that so? Oh, well, guess you'll have to wake up from your silly little dream."

Natsu continued to apply force to the cell. _Darn it! What I told was a lie.._

Lucy grasped the silver key tighter. When she opened her eyes, there was nothing but a pure, black hue. "Door to the universe, the heavenly, celestial beings, let your ears take a hold of my words.."

"Bring forth all the evil in the world, release them from the depths of the fire, use the portal to the human being. Unify the constellations and let it rain blinding light."

Lucy's body cascaded into the sky. A dark void stretched miles and miles. Ghastly figures revolved around her.

"Lucy, stop it!," Natsu screamed at the top of his lungs. He banged on the transparent wall. "It's a lie! That key doesn't work!"

"Of course it doesn't work!" Vilcraw laughed. "She's not using that key, she's using herself!"

Lucy, it seemed, wasn't aware of anything. "Stir the demons from below Earthland and devour the soul of who stands before me.."

The other Fairy Tail mages woke up from unconsciousness. Erza inhaled deeply. "Don't. Move."

"What the hell is happening to Lucy?" Gray exclaimed, his fury building up. Dry ice enveloped his hands. "I'm gonna-"

He accidentally wiggled his foot by a fraction of an inch. Sparks flew around him.

"Gray-sempai!" Wendy yelled, but she controlled her body.

Erza grit her teeth. _This can't be good. I can't help Lucy. One move and we get electrocuted._

"Wendy! Conjure the wind! You'll have to topple Natsu's cell!"

"But I can't use my magic without moving!"

Erza glared at the laser. _Damn it. I have no magic power left. I'll have to figure out how this thing works._

Erza screamed. "LUCY! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF! WAKE UP!"

Natsu ignited a blazing flame for as long as he could deal with. The thick border cracked—and there was an intense eruption. Water exploded and it flowed in great amount.

Natsu sputtered. He got up on his feet and grinned. "Hang on, Luce! I'm coming!"

"Natsu! Release us!" Happy said. He was obviously strained of happiness.

Natsu stopped in his tracks. He glanced between Lucy, merely breathing, and his friends, who were tamed by some levitation. He hung his head low. "Sorry guys. I'll have to do this on my own."

"NATSU!" Gray shouted. "Come back here, flame brain!"

Erza's insides roared with anger. _Fine. This event will again bring disgrace to our guild. Figures._

Lucy didn't cease to chant. "Reap my soul in exchange for an army, destroy what I hold against my heart."

Vilcraw looked up with satisfaction and said, "Ah, truly, you have inherited Laila's magnificence. However, you do not realize you are destroying yourself,eh?" He invoked a scythe created from mere smoke and pointed it to Lucy's neck. "Your wish is my command; I will reap your soul with great pleasure."

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><p>I still think it's corny. Do you?<p> 


	2. Not Just My Nakama

**Chapter Two: Not Just My Nakama**

_buttercupbella_

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><p>Winds swirled around Lucy at such velocity that even Vilcraw had to settle his feet tightly on the ground. He winced furiously. <em>Damn it. She's vulnerable but I can't get close to her.<em>

Meanwhile, Natsu assailed the enemy. He ran past like a burning comet across a starry night sky.

"Go to hell, dumbass!," Natsu hollered as he prepared to strike down his extremely tanned knuckles. "FLAME DRAGON'S FIST!"

His clenched hand slammed into Vilcraw's spine, making his bone locks give away. Vilcraw stumbled forward and grimaced in shallow pain. "Why you puny little—"

"AARGGHHH!," Natsu followed up with another massive blow. His eyes started to flicker like a kaleidoscope with indescribable hues. Blood traced its way from Vilcraw's pale lips, but he managed to say, "OPEN! The gate to the empyreal scale! LIBRA!"

What Natsu didn't notice was a shimmering golden key floating just above his head, initiating the sudden eruption of smoke that squeezed the air out of their already exhausted lungs. Natsu coughed and shielded his eyes from the intense glow coming from the grayish fog. When it all cleared up, there stood a majestic maiden clothed in a blowy golden satin dress. Her kaleidoscope eyes glared up at Natsu and she held her burnished golden scales up high.

The scales seemed to speak for themselves.

"Libra," Erza recoiled, remembering her distaste for female stellar spirits.

Natsu chuckled arrogantly and wiped his dirtied palms on his similarly dirtied pants, eyeing Libra, who began speaking.

"Victory is not rightly thine."

"Oh, yeah? And what the hell does THINE mean?" jested Natsu, who was typically getting 'all fired up'.

Libra bowed her dainty head and simply tipped the scales. The golden key on one scale appeared to be much heavier than a carved wooden symbol of Fairy Tail.

Natsu's eyes widened with disappointment and surprise. "That's IT? You've got to be kidding-"

"NATSU! SHUT THE HELL-" Erza screeched, knowing that Libra was much more powerful than she seemed. But, like Natsu, her speech was cut off by a potent force coming from their side.

The potent force, it appeared, was another **pesky, annoying, utterly tiresome** _**portal.**_

Gray closed his eyes and felt all of his magic be drained. No, not just magic. His entire soul was consumed by an invisible hand. "What...is…happening…."

His consciousness slipped away, along with the others whose beings drifted afar, swirling with the unsteady wind that housed dread and anxiety.

Natsu stood his ground and clenched his teeth. Because if there was anything to lose right now, it surely wouldn't be his soul, his family, his life.

Time slurred his senses. There they were, their translucent figures adrift in the breeze and plummeting straight into the passageway. The scenario looked serene in the midst of a one-against-seven war. Soon the idiot realized the inevitable.

"YOU!," Natsu said, aghast, his jaw dropping in unbelief. He started walking, started running, after his friends' ghosts, desperately trying to grab something that remained solid in their bodies. But all he could grasp was wisps of their souls.

"No, no, NO!" He lunged frantically, his team mates' lucid beings sifting through his grime-covered fingers. "You are NOT getting away from me!"

Wendy's figure extended an almost invisible hand, mouth twitching as if to plead for help. Happy fluttered his ghastly wings and exerted all his might to drive him and Charle to the opposite direction. Erza, on the other hand, struggled against the powerful pull. Her eyes began to flame like her scarlet hair, which was traced with infinite beads of cold sweat. Her front teeth clashed with her chapped lips, revealing the genuine bruises on her pale cheeks. Erza didn't bite her lips out of despair and frustration. It was because of sheer anger and hatred that she had to prevent herself from totally losing it.

Natsu, with his raisin-sized brain, still kept on chasing after the gaseous bodies of his nakama. Lucy stopped chanting, her frozen corpse cast down on a mound of gravel. Her eyes were wide open and as blank as ever.

Natsu turned his head around and saw THE corpse.

_Corpse?_

_Lucy!_

And just like any other human being, he started running towards the opposite direction, leaving his friends in hopelessness that Natsu would figure something out.

"Just WHAT THE HELL did you do, Vilcraw? Libra, you damn woman!," Natsu's scream pierced the air. He pulled Lucy's cold hand, cradled her non-locomotive head in his pained arms. He let his lips rest on Lucy's blond mane.

"She's dead," Vilcraw finally replied, his eyes closed in content and satisfaction. "And all your nakama are, too. There's nothing you can do, insolent fool."

"She's not just my nakama!..." Natsu howled, this time, with overflowing tears.

…

…

"..she's my girlfriend."

Vilcraw's statement proved wrong, as there was one person who immediately blinked at the sound of the word.

Gray's soul returned back to his being. And precisely at that moment, he stood up and stomped angrily towards his weeping colleague.

Vilcraw smiled.

_Girlfriend?_

Now he could use that fact to tear his enemies apart.

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><p>I want to keel over and die- I think it's horrible.<p> 


	3. Letters to Fairy Tail

Reviews from first and second chapters: TH~AAANNKS to Ashley-myth, Shining Stellar, Jaz-ANIME-OtakuChick, Senbei-Cup Ramen, aphrodite931, Jiin-chan, MagicianValkyria, Rose Tiger, and lastly, succumbing-to-a-dark-void. By the way, she's my little sis.(Gotcha!) and to anonymous reviews, thanks also!

Chapter three is out guys! But….

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><p>To My Dearest Companions,<p>

I am sorry to say that our colleague has died, specifically because of the overwhelming stellar spirit world that she has conjured. We all did our very best to revive her, but it was no good. We'll be back after three days. I plead you to not tell Master about any of this.

Sincerely Yours,

Erza Scarlet

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><p>Dear Fairy Tail,<p>

We are alive, but Lucy-chan has passed on. We recently discovered that Natsu-sempai is her boyfriend. I know that all of us are mourning, but we are still trying to find someone who can help us. Please take care, everyone!

By Wendy

To whomever who might receive this,

Please accept my apology because I want to destroy Flame Brain. He totally stole MY girl. I know that Lucy's dead but I'm searching for a resurrecting potion or whatever. Hell, that Vilcraw guy really beat the crap out of me. Good thing Erza already finished him.

P.S. Don't ever, ever let this be near water girl (Juvia). Thanks.

From Gray Fullbuster

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><p>To the Fairy Tail members,<p>

This is a letter of grief and sorrow. We are sorry for our defeat, having lost a powerful stellar spirit mage. By the way, is everyone okay? Because we hypothesized that Vilcraw is not alone. He might have companions who'll seek revenge. Do not let your guard down.

- Charle

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><p>Dear Fairy Tail,<p>

Natsu seems to be really down these days. He doesn't puke even when we're on a train. He doesn't crave for fire. He doesn't want to eat in buffets. I guess the death of Lucy really had a bad effect on him. I'll just hope he starts eating the fish I caught soon.

Love,

Happy

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><p>Natsu here.<p>

I figured out that you'll have to know about Lucy being dead later on. And that Gray has nearly taken off my head. And that everyone called me a total idiot because I said the TRUTH. Come on, who the hell would get angry at the TRUTH?

Never mind about the truth. In this envelope is a key studded with diamonds. If you guys can, don't touch it, but DESTROY it. I don't want to see another trace of it. Make sure that not even a single fleck of silver would remain.

I'm thinking that I wouldn't come back for a while. I need time to ponder. Also, can you burn Lucy's apartment for me? I'd gladly appreciate it.

Please don't let Gray know that I told you to do that. Unless you want me killed, anyway.

That's it. You won't hear from me for the next weeks.

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><p>Makarov clutched the papers in his hand, tears streaming down his saggy cheeks. One of his children was killed, while two were engaged in a cold war. The bright, pastel colored flowers on his shirt seemed to wilt and wither as with the joy of seeing his best mages again. But it all faded away in a single mail check.<p>

He settled on his mahogany chair and reread the letters a million times. Death. Lucy. Killed. Wouldn't come back. Resurrect.

He admitted to himself that there was no such way as resurrection.

Sure, they lived after Acnologia had buried them underwater for seven years, but resurrection? There was no way that it could happen.

Twisting in his seat, Makarov felt something crunchy beneath his leg. Crunchy, like the crunchy type of paper.

Had he missed a letter or something?

Reluctantly, he pulled the creased note out, noticing smears of blood and grime. He mouthed, "Bleah," then proceeded on to open it.

The disgust immediately submerged itself into pure astonishment, forcing Makarov to drop his jaw and widen his eyes. He dove for his coat and sped out of his office.

The one-lined note accordingly fell to the floor, spread out in all its glory.

Outside, the sun set, the night sky was blanketed over the melancholy of every single mage in Fairy Tail. There was no moon, and still no stars. It was pure darkness.

Fried, who was smoking while he was at the peak of boredom, finally tossed his cigarette away, which magically and coincidentally landed on the piece of paper under Makarov's table. It was burned; but stopped; almost immediately. The flame was definitely cunning; it left exactly the single sentence that nearly gave Makarov a heart attack.

….

….

….

….

….

I'm alive Master

Lucy

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><p>….it's just a filler chapter<p>

Hahaha! I was like, "What the hell am I doing?"

But I guess you'll have to wait longer guys! Thanks!

Note: You'll have to stay tuned to know why this is entitled "Goodbye, Lucy". The answers will appear in about 3-6 chapters more. Read on!

~buttercupbella


	4. Wrong Again

And here comes another chapter!*clapclapclap*

I DIDN'T, DON'T, AND WILL NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL(unless I win a million bucks and Hiro Mashima gives me the copyright, but I figured out that there's no way that it would happen).

Thanks for all the support and reviews! And please advertise your stories in your reviews so I can read them too, well, you know, as a form of gratitude.

Soo~oo. Shall we?

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><p>It was unmistakable; his black tousled hair, his apricot skin. Although he now wore decent clothes, still; one look at this guy and you'll know.<p>

Gray Fullbuster.

He was alone, swiftly pacing with the crowd, searching for whoever had the power to restore life; and whatever he or she would demand was to be fulfilled.

Gray let his sweat glide across his temples, because he was not concerned about him melting under the hateful blaze of the sun. The one person he was concerned about was Lucy Heartphilia.

_Lucy._

Choking on that name, Gray stopped in his tracks. He balled his fists and bowed his head, recalling the sadness and pain he felt three days ago. He remembered Natsu's extreme stupidity.

"_..she's my girlfriend."_

Gray insides roared even more. Girlfriend? Natsu was kidding, right? Lucy would definitely NOT choose a fool who was just the number one reason for her death.

Good thing there's something called willpower, or else Natsu was as good as double dead meat right now.

At the height of the midday, Gray was unnaturally exhausted, primarily because of his grief. He rested and sank his chin on his sore knees. He looked up, and thought; _now this is what I hate about being in the public._

A beggar, with a retro cover-up and brown glasses, snuck up on Gray and exposed an array of perfect pearly whites. Gray rolled his sharp eyes. _I'm surprised he could even afford to go to the dentist and buy hippie clothes._

"Fairy Tail, eh?," the teenager said, roughly about the same age as Gray. "I've heard many things."

"Things like what?," asked Gray, who was pretending not to be irritated when he totally was.

The boy laughed sarcastically. "The pretty girl's dead? Man, I even wanted to talk to her one-on-one. I mean, it's such a waste to your guild."

"Ha," Gray agreed, mainly because Lucy's death was a waste to him. "But, I tell you, it wasn't my fault. Some flame-brained underdressed airhead divulged his weakness."

"And I see that you want to bring her back?," the boy said, completely freaking Gray out. Like how the hell would he know about that?

Gray surrendered to his selfish desires and sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

* * *

><p>Erza knew.<p>

She had unearthed the secret yesterday, with feelings of relief, frustration, anger, and disappointment.

Erza knew what was up Lucy's sleeve.

She accidentally bumped across Loke in another town near Magnolia, and she thought she could get answers from Lucy's loyal stellar spirit.

She was right, of course.

Loke had spilled everything, Lucy's blueprint of what's going to happen, who were involved, and why she was doing this.

Loke couldn't help but let the cat out of the bag. After all, who on Earthland wasn't terrified of Titania?

Now, all Erza had to do was wait in the shadows and see if all will go by smoothly. She watched from afar, in a street corner, eyeing the orange haired boy convincing a dark-haired mage about the genuineness of the idea of resurrection.

* * *

><p>The rainbow-colored sakura leaves drifted towards the wooden windowsill, floating in the breeze like pink snow. One leaf landed on a similarly colored spiked hair.<p>

Natsu didn't bother to flick the leaf on his mane. His eyes seemed to be trapped somewhere far away from where he was sitting right now. Not even once, in three days' time, did he smile, laugh, growl, or wince. His straight face was seemingly absorbed and accepted by his nervous system.

"Are you okay, Natsu-sempai?," Wendy asked, crouching in the doorway. "If you want breakfast then I'll-"

"Leave me alone," said Natsu. He retained his eyes' fixation on nowhere in particular. "I don't want breakfast. I only want to see Lucy."

"But Lucy-chan's d-"

Natsu faced the introvert girl and snarled angrily. "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

Wendy's eyes watered, so she ran away.

Away and away, ashamed that she couldn't heal Lucy, that she couldn't prevent Natsu from becoming like this.

_I'm useless. My teammates couldn't even benefit from my magic._

But reality bites hard.

She was supposed to be nineteen years old, but because of Acnologia, she was still twelve years old.

So, being twelve years old, she still couldn't do anything significant.

* * *

><p>The master glanced at the wine bar and sighed. <em>They're still not over it.<em>

Makarov had kept Lucy's message clandestine, going as far as shutting up and biting his tongue in order to hide Lucy's frail life. She was alive somewhere, and that was far better than her return. But, still.

He wondered if Erza already discovered about it. After all, Erza was the most gutsy, intelligent mage he had taken care of. But he didn't care. It was just Erza; and Erza was not one to go around spreading the news.

_What about Gray?_

Makarov scrunched his eyebrows. Maybe he'll know. As far as Makarov knew, Gray didn't stop searching for answers.

_Natsu…_

Makarov was sure: Natsu will totally be out of the picture.

He was just staring off some space, telling everyone to leave him alone, not eating even a single grain of rice. Maybe he'd die even before Lucy comes back.

So Natsu was right. He told the truth, that Lucy _was_ indeed his girlfriend. But others were also right for he was foolish enough to tell that to a foe _directly._

Hope didn't refuse to lend itself to Makarov, who was in dire need of that right now. He was hoping...hoping...hoping...

Hoping that Lucy would come back for the sake of her family.

* * *

><p>It was painfully tiring to be hovering in the midst of nothingness for <em>seventy two hours.<em>

She opened her eyes, and it hurt; well, everything hurt. Her breathing was so labored that her face was turning purplish. Every single part of her body was swollen, and worse, she didn't flinch from her position _even once._

Did she make the right choice?

She purposively left Natsu out on her plan, livid and annoyed at him blurting out that word; her dream, but also her nightmare.

_Girlfriend._

She shook her head, and her neck sounded like broken porcelain. It hurt, but nothing hurt more than seeing Natsu suffer because of _her._

He announced proudly in front of their enemy that she was his girlfriend. Vilcraw would know just what to do: _eliminate his girlfriend_.

Weaknesses are not meant to be revealed, are they?

So that was it; the girl Natsu loved was his weakness, a crack in his otherwise feisty and fiery soul. The girl Natsu loved didn't want that. She wanted that crack to disappear. She never yearned to see him crumble because of that single flaw. The girl Natsu loved was determined to remove the crack; to remove _herself_ from Natsu's life forever.

She, again, closed her eyes and felt the uncertainty subside, the ache disappear. It was decided.

She was ready for her resurrection.

* * *

><p>Loke looked up from his printed scarf and smiled at the vast blue sky. <em>She's ready.<em>

He led Gray into a trick; not necessarily evil or nefarious. It was a trick to settle things and make them go back to normal.

Gray was obviously suspicious, but then again, he _wanted_ this. More than anything in the world.

Loke went through tunnels and tunnels, bridges and bridges, roads and roads, and whatever there may be to cross.

Meanwhile, Gray followed him, unaware of where they were going. It was simple.

He had faith.

_This guy's nuts_, Loke thought. _What if I wouldn't be the person who's helping him?_

"Are we there yet?," Gray complained silently, as if talking to himself. "Are we still in Fiore?"

"Of course," Loke mused, losing his fake pitchy voice. He was startled by the mistake and immediately made up for it. "Ah, sorry. Ever since I was a kid I had larynx disorders."

"No big deal," answered Gray, refusing to hear any more of Loke's (uh, a stranger named Ekol) babbles and telltales.

Loke breathed a sigh of relief. _I'm not yet dead_. If Lucy wasn't beautiful and persuasive, maybe he won't be agreeing-_ever_-to do this. Especially since Gray was also his friend.

Turning around on his left heel, Loke faced Gray with a charming smile. "I guess we're here."

Gray inspected the surroundings with question. "What do you mean, 'we're here'?"

Loke snapped his fingers; but nothing happened.

Until the forest backdrop disappeared.

Dull gravel filled the soil, mountains and rocky valleys rose up from the greenery. Rusted blood painted the steep slopes and wind-eroded buttes.

Gray bent and picked up a pumice rock. He examined it and squinted his eyes. The bitter realization came to him, crushing him hard; _with emphasis on hard_.

"W-wait. You're not saying that-"

"I am saying this," Loke looked around, his face morphing into an expression of dawning apprehension, "it's pretty obvious. Where else should you resurrect someone who died?"

Gray scratched his scalp and pondered for a moment. "Uh, in a place where you're near heaven?"

"For Pete's sake," Loke threw up his hands in exasperation and stifled a chuckle. "Of course not!"

Folding his sculpted arms, Gray waited patiently for Loke's explanation.

Loke stopped laughing and sighed at the sight of his companion. "Oh, well," Loke cleared his throat, "do you remember this place? A distant, lacerating memory? I noticed that you picked up a ROCK a while ago, and I guess there are millions of rocks in the whole world. Why else would you want to pick up an insignificant rock HERE?"

"Because," Gray choked out in a hushed tone, "this is where Lucy died."

* * *

><p>Juvia was fuming mad.<p>

SOMEHOW she got a hold on Gray's letter to Master, and she sure as hell didn't like it. Red-faced, she stormed out of Makarov's office, hot water gushing out of her body.

Members of the guild dodged the sizzling girl, not wanting to be caught up in her rage. Nonetheless, the noise never died.

"Hi hi Juvia!" Levy happily waved at the angry blue-haired water mage passing by the bar. Juvia turned her blazing eyes on the bookish girl, teeth gritted with fury. "Juvia is not happy with Gray-sama's letter!"

Levy tilted her head. "Letter?"

Juvia nodded vigorously. "Gray-sama said that he was going to resurrect Lucy-chan, and Juvia doesn't want THAT!"

The noise ceased into dead stillness. All heads swiveled to Juvia's direction, whose hands are clenched and boiling water was swirling around her. Except for the water rushing, you could hear a pin drop in the absolute silence.

Gazeel strode towards Levy's side and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure about that?"

For a fleeting moment, the anger disappeared from Juvia's face and was replaced by an expression of a child throwing tantrum. "Juvia doesn't lie! Juvia saw it with her own eyes! The letter was on Master's desk, with other letters like from Natsu-sama, Wendy-chan, and Erza-san!"

Mirajane's perfect white hair suddenly became sullen and grisaille-colored. "Why would they resurrect Lucy?"

"Why else?," said Cana, who was fingering the emerald wine bottle with passion. "Why else would you resurrect a person if she was STILL alive?"

Bixlow widened his eyes, revealing hints of red veins. "Back up a sec. So that implies-"

"Lucy's dead," a dark voice saturated the anxious atmosphere. All of the mages turned their head towards the voice and raised their eyebrows in surprise, all of them buried their faces in their sorry hands.

But Levy looked up, her loneliness streaming down her face as tears. She saw who spoke, who told them what they deserved to know.

_She_, as in the person who was in the shadows, folded her arms and grimaced, pursed her lips at the pathetic crying of her colleagues.

Silence.

And then…

"For once I agree with Juvia…"

"…I don't want Lucy back."

* * *

><p>Panting, Makarov scampered to the pebbly hills west of Magnolia, never minding if he had no transportation or such. <em>Could I catch up?<em>

He swerved abruptly, falling on his face. The eighty eight year old man stood up and continually scurried as if nothing happened.

At the last curve, he found them.

He neared towards the black haired adolescent and bawled his eyes.

"What do you think you're doing, Gray?"

Gray scratched his head and stuttered nervously. "Uhh…remember the resurrection thing I told you about?"

"Yeah?," Makarov answered, tapping his foot on the ground.

"It's done," another mage said, stepping out from the sidelight and proceeding on to explain. "Lucy's alive."

"ERZA?," shouted Gray, who was extremely horrified. ""What the hell are you doing here?"

Erza averted her eyes with a misty askance look. "Got any problem with that?"

"N-no, no, none, actually…" Gray said with an apologetic look. He lowered his body and gazed at Makarov's intolerance.

Makarov looked away and heaved. "So, where is she?" He was secretly relieved that Erza and Gray were convinced that Lucy had been resurrected, and not alive all along. It felt like the burden of the world was finally lifted up from his shoulders.

Gray stared up, down, and at both sides. Finally, he surrendered and raised his arms up in the air. "Okay,okay. Seriously? I don't know."

"You WHAT?," both Erza and Makarov practically bellowed, absolutely thinking that Gray was DEFINITELY no better than Natsu, the pink-headed, world's number one dunce.

"Lucy…appeared. She's alive. But she said she was going someplace else, so I let her," Gray dismissed their ramblings. He opened his palms and his shoulders rose to their own accord, as if to say, _Come on, I did the right thing…right?_

Nodding contentedly, Makarov smiled and flashed a 'peace' sign.

His biggest problem was solved.

* * *

><p><em>One second…two seconds…three seconds…<em>

It had just been three seconds ever since he began 'enjoying' the sight of the lavender and yellow orange skies.

So why was Natsu already _bored?_

_Life is like an eternity in hell without you, Lucy._

He started crying again, knowing that it was his fault, that if he hadn't brought her to that mission, it wouldn't have happened.

Sad to say, it _already_ happened.

He could still see that picture, that awful yesterday, be tore away from his memories. Her beautiful, dazzling smile; the care she gave when Natsu was feeling absolutely horrible on transportation; her shoulder-length hair that glowed like strands of the sun; and of course; her tender kiss.

It was Natsu's fault that he also had to bid that memory goodbye.

On impulse, he had kissed her; kissed her like he would never see her again, cherished her in his arms for as long as he could remember. Undoubtedly, she had kissed him back.

It was a dream-come-true.

But he was wrong; wrong for telling everybody that he loved Lucy. He was wrong for not denying it, for not hiding his true feelings.

He was wrong because it was not the proper time and place to tell all those.

Natsu sunk dejectedly in his chair, his weeping already done, for he had no tears to shed anymore. There was nothing to cry for anymore. He was-

_KABLAAGAADAAAGG._

Out of curiosity, Natsu stood up; inspected the noise coming from below his window. He looked around with keen observation; annoyed that he didn't know where it came from. He was about to give up when he saw a head.

_A blond head._

The eyelids of Natsu stretched; their contours highly expanded. Natsu undeniably jumped out the window, for he was fond of acting on impulse.

He landed with a heavy thud. Pressing his feet onto the soil, he looked up; so he was face-to-face with the girl he was just mourning for a while ago.

"Lucy?"

The girl's eyes became glassy with tears, and she brought her arms out with unmistakable joy.

Natsu did the same.

He thought it was joy; and it was wrong again.

Lucy brought her arms out.

Not because she wanted to hug Natsu.

_PAAK!_

Natsu stopped breathing the moment the pain registered itself in his senses.

And there it was, under the hazy rays of the sunset, the red mark Lucy's hand left on Natsu's slapped cheek.

* * *

><p>Whoa! Longest chapter for the record! Whew!<p>

So, readers, please be reminded that this is NOT YET the climax of Goodbye, Lucy. We still have a long way to go and I swear that the next 'goodbye' will hurt ten times as much as it hurts now.

Anyway, don't forget to leave a review and PLEASE ADVERTISE YOUR STORIES!

Hahahaha-

~Read on!

buttercupbella


	5. She'll Never Be Yours

And so I have returned! Sorry if I kept you waiting for this chapter, it's just that I am aware that my grades are dropping and I don't want to risk my position in the honor rolls. Nevertheless, I want to thank the people who reviewed and put this on Story Alert and Favorite Stories and added me on their Author Alerts and Favorite Authors. It's as if I accomplished lots of things! By the way, I just want you to know about my clumsiness. While I was doing my project, I accidentally pointed the _blazing hot_ glue gun to my legs and squeezed molten glue sticks. My skin got burned and it had blisters.:( Anyway, it reminded me of Natsu. Don't mind me^_^

Enjoy reading, guys!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five: <strong>_**She'll Never Be Yours**_

Sure, everyone knew and memorized by heart that Natsu was indisputably _dumb,_ but he still didn't have a clue as to why Lucy slapped him; not the crying type; but the absolutely infuriated one.

Natsu had divine strength but he had to step back because of pain.

_Emotional pain._

His lips contorted into what seemed like a hurt expression, caressing his cheek and contemplating what had happened. He looked at Lucy with teary eyes and said, "Why?"

"Why?" Lucy spat, "You practically leaked _every single thing_ about…about…about US! Didn't you know?"

"Know what?"

Lucy's face boiled hot from annoyance. "They'll use that information to wreck you! They'll know your weakness and try to use that against you!"

"Is that wrong?" asked Natsu, who was wondering if the term 'honesty' meant 'getting labeled as a world-class idiot by your friends.

"Don't you understand?" Lucy said, "You're going to be _hurt_. Because of _me_."

"So?"

Lucy stomped her foot in frustration, ignoring the swelling of her insides from the damage inflicted upon her during the battle. "I don't WANT you to be hurt. Can't you see? Or are you really just as FLAME-BRAINED as everybody thought you would be?"

Chucking his tongue down his throat, Natsu remained eerily silent; and as the sakura leaves rained down sadly on them, so did Natsu's spirits; for now he lost all of his reserved courage. This was the only situation that frightened him as much as Gildarts made his lungs be deprived of air.

"I have two conditions for you, Natsu," whispered Lucy, who was now getting calm and exhaling controlled puffs. "I quit the team…"

Natsu _strongly_ felt the urge to protest but was cut off yet again.

"…or I quit Fairy Tail."

* * *

><p>Wiping the dust off the jade wine bottle with an absorbent cloth, Mirajane's shoulders sagged and lost their vitality.<p>

"Lucy's definitely changed," complained Levy, her soft, mellow tone raging in despair. "Ever since she died, then came back, it's been like this."

Gazeel slumped to the nearest seat and slapped Levy's back tenderly. "It's all because of that dragon-breath."

"Definitely dragon-breath's fault," Gray interjected, while cherishing a blue hoodie. "If it weren't for him, Lucy wouldn't be quitting our team."

"Quit the team?" Mirajane cupped her mouth in shock. "Why would she go as far as that?"

Droy sighed miserably. "Like they said, it's all because of Natsu."

Natsu, although his hearing became quite better, reluctantly ignored all the_"all his fault"_ and _"if it weren't for Natsu"_ talk. He muttered to himself, "I had to choose the better option."

Unfortunately for him, the others' hearing abilities tripled after their last conversation. Mirajane said, "Natsu? You were saying something?"

"I was saying _nothing_," Natsu replied through grit teeth.

"Come on, we heard you already, flame brain," Gray taunted, obviously NOT letting go of the bluish garment. "Although I only caught the 'better option' part."

"It's none of your business, squinty eyes," Natsu shot back defiantly, afraid that he might break down in front of them if they even tried to crack the code.

Levy walked to his side and patted his back. Noticeably, Gazeel's face went completely beet-red and he bit his lip in frustration.

Levy smiled in a soft way. "It's alright, Natsu. We all know you love Lucy _not_ in a best friend type of way."

Mirajane joined their emotional dialog, sniffing through the absorbent cloth earlier. "What were you saying about options, Natsu?"

"She said she'd quit the team," declared Natsu, "or move out of Fairy Tail."

Gray's eyes popped out from their sockets and he stood up, finally dropping the hoodie to the creaky wooden floor. "She said _WHAT?"_

"Then I guess you made the right choice," Gazeel answered, yanking Levy away from Natsu with a never-mind expression.

At the exact second, the heavy wooden entrance doors of the guild burst open, horrible, dazzling sunshine pouring in, and shining through the contours of a bulky silhouette.

"Erza," Levy barely got out from her throat.

The armor-clad mage took a few steps toward them forlornly, eyeing the smallest details on the floor and avoiding the gaze of her second family. It was really unlike her.

Erza grabbed a stool from the wine bar and finally looked up, her merciless fury returning to her flaming eyes. "I don't know what to do with Lucy."

Gray scratched his head and proceeded to the door. "Then I guess I'm gonna try convincing her."

"DON'T," snapped Natsu, as he rose up the chair and tucked his clammy hands in his pockets. "Give her time, Gray."

Gray rolled his eyes, for it was the first time Natsu The Idiot called him by his name. "Fine. Then what? We're gonna wait and rot in here while waiting for her?"

"Exactly," Natsu said, going back to his seat and slumping yet again. "I've been stupid enough for the past few weeks, and even she said that directly to my face."

Gazeel chuckled and clutched his stomach in glee. "Now you know that all we're saying is true!"

Levy balled her fists and kicked Gazeel's thigh. He moaned in pain, then moaned more when Levy dragged him by pulling his ear with her razor-sharp nails.

Natsu covered his face in shame and shut his eyes from the world and into the comforting darkness. "I know," he echoed. "I know."

* * *

><p>Inhaling the musky scent of her study table, Lucy sighed, then banged her head to the wood. <em>I am such an idiot<em>, she thought, _Why the hell did I still have to present him options?_

When in fact, she only really wanted to get out of Fairy Tail…

Not that she wanted to from the start, but, she couldn't help but notice.

She was always the target, always left standing when she was the most crumbly of them all.

Lucy grasped the pages and felt the rough texture, then accidentally flipped it immediately, the thin paper cutting through her skin like a lethal weapon. She stared down at her finger and instinctively licked the blood off it.

_See? I can even be hurt by paper._

She sighed, the taste of rust lingering in her tongue, the same taste she encountered when biting her lips.

_Wait. Lips…_

Suddenly, she was taken adrift to the kiss days ago, when Natsu gripped her face and pushed his lips against hers.

It was horrifyingly surprising; knowing that Natsu was usually abrasive and could raze almost everything around him. But this time, he was as tender as a marshmallow, something so fragile that it could break within a few seconds. Lucy took pleasure in the rare moment and cherished it.

_Idiot Natsu_, she thought, laughing to herself and coming short. She remembered. And plastered her lips tightly.

She had to turn her heart into a frozen one.

Quickly, Lucy dismissed all the romance between Natsu and her, scrunching her eyebrows like a beast who never knew how to love.

But then she realized something.

No matter how hard she tried making her heart into ice, Natsu would also _always_ find a way to melt it.

* * *

><p>Gray stood outside the door, raising his hand up to knock, but then he couldn't.<p>

_I wonder if Lucy is thinking about Natsu right now?_

The lone thought made him shudder, causing his fist to act on its own; causing it to knock on Lucy's door.

_Crap!_

Gray turned on his heel as silently as ever, but then Lucy beat him to it and opened the door, rubbing her eyes with a sleepy look. "Oh. Hi, Gray."

"Hey," Gray replied, feeling a little embarrassed for coming out late like this. "Are you like, sleeping already?"

Lucy wondered and smiled sweetly, edging closer to the side of the door as if to let Gray in. "Oh, no, actually. I was just done sleeping. Come on in!"

Gray blushed fiercely and stepped inside, inhaling the vanilla-scented fragrance. "Lucy, I just wanted to ask you a question…"

"Huh?" Lucy asked, eyeing Gray's fidgety hands and uneasiness. _Weird_, Lucy thought. _Gray's usually confident_.

"What?"

Gray grinned shyly. "Are you, perhaps, thinking about Natsu right now?"

Lucy's body tensed, her face twitching as if she didn't want to discuss about that anymore. However, she beamed at the guy. "Of course not."

"Oh," Gray sighed in relief, almost showing his jealousy towards Natsu. "So, I guess I'm going."

"Oh…then, have a safe trip!" Lucy said, waving her hand in goodbye. However, Gray seemed to be glued to Lucy's doorstep, and instead of leaving, he stepped forward, closer to his friend, until he could easily grab her arms and give her a meaningful hug. And he did.

The scent of nauseating vanilla attacked Gray's olfactory bulb, his nose having been buried in Lucy's lemon-like hair. Lucy, inevitably, responded with surprise. But she hugged him back and patted his head.

"Lucy," said Gray, "don't ever scare me again with your heroic antics, okay?"

"Heroic antics?"

"Yeah, heroic antics," Gray mused, breaking away from his supposedly 'friendly' hug. "You know, when you think you're supposed to save people but in the end you're the one who's _saved by people_."**

"Err, okay. Anyway, thanks for the resurrection stuff," Lucy answered in a childish tone. "Now get going, Fullbuster."

_Fullbuster, eh?_, Gray thought, walking by the sidewalk and staring at the night sky, the image of Lucy getting farther and farther away.

_Fullbuster…_

Someday, he hoped, that surname would be Lucy's own.

* * *

><p>The weeks came like a fast-forwarded motion picture- Natsu in mission this, Lucy getting hurt in mission that. Though she quit their team, Makarov insisted that Lucy be on Erza's side always.<p>

"Only Erza can protect you without straining herself," Makarov reasoned out.

And so Lucy went with them, earned money, and ended up being the weakling all over again, but of course she knew.

Their enemies were oppressing Natsu with the use of her feebleness.

Lucy went to Makarov for the millionth time to ask for her withdrawal from the team, but was rejected countless times.

She knew she had to do something before she's taken advantage of.

Almost too sweetly, she trudged to the seaside and saw him- her "object of desire"- glistening under the rays of the sun.

"Gray!," she said, tapping the boy's tanned shoulder as meekly as she could.

Gray, startled in every sense, jumped from his position then rubbed the back of his head casually, as if nothing happened. "Oh. Lucy, it was you."

Lucy ignored the awkward start and settled beside Gray, looking out into the hazy sunset while murmuring. "The sky's beautiful today, isn't it?"

Gray blushed and looked down on his hands which were shivering uncontrollably. "Yeah."

Lucy stared at him with her kaleidoscope hazelnut orbs.

"But not as beautiful as you," Gray managed to add, biting his tongue in realization. "I-erm, uh, never mind."

Lucy had a blush of her own, inching a little closer to her friend. She said, "D-do you mean it?"

Gray's insides pounded and his heart hopped in anxiety. "O-of course. I meant it…even from the day I met you, I have always thought of that."

The girl's eyes widened in surprise and her stimulus commanded her to take the boy's hand. Lucy caressed it tenderly and brought it to her lips. "Really?"

Gray didn't have to answer, because he did what he was supposed to do right from the start.

He grabbed Lucy's neck and his cool lips clashed with hers.

Lucy was overwhelmed by this feeling and kissed back. The moment she did that, she remembered.

_I kissed Natsu like this._

Lucy freaked out and broke away, putting a clasped, trembling hand over her mouth. Gray's head hung low and he suddenly became embarrassed.

"You'll never be mine, right?"

Lucy looked away in pity. After all, it was her fault, for playing with Gray like a broken toy, a play thing that was to be spun around again and again until it lost its significance. "I-I..don't know."

A brief silence passed between the two, as the sun disappeared over the horizon, leaving a trail of emptiness and longing.

The only thing that broke the serenity was a seething voice.

"Of course she'll never be yours, _squinty eyes_."

Both heads snapped to the voice's direction, the boy balling his fist, the other one letting her jaw drop.

Natsu stepped out from the back of a sullen tree, his confident hands in his pockets. "Face it, she doesn't have to choose you."

"And why _the hell_ would you say that?," Gray inquired with an edge of a challenge in his tone. "How the hell would _you_ make any difference?"

Natsu smirked darkly. "She broke away from your smooch-fest."

"That's because it was too long, flame brain. Getting jealous, are we?," Gray shot back decisively.  
>"Why would I get jealous if there's nothing to be jealous for?"<p>

"Oh, yeah? Then why would you be sneaking up on us?"

"That's because I was making sure Juvia wasn't around, since I know she's going to shred Lucy to bits."

"Juvia doesn't have anything to do with this!"

"The same way I don't have anything to do with this? Tsk, I may be called an idiot but I don't think I deserve that petty nickname."

"Why you-"

Lucy snarled and stomped angrily towards the two. "Are you guys playing pretend or you're _just stupid enough_?"

The guys glanced at her for a moment and then resumed their argument. Soon, they were pushing each other and flaring their magic up.

Lucy stood in Gray's way, almost getting hit with his frozen spear. She glared at Natsu. "Stop this, Natsu!"

Natsu's flames grew bigger with every word she said. "Why do I always seem to be at fault, Luce?"

"That's because you are," she said flatly, widening her arms to shield the ice mage. "You're not going to touch him."

"Why shouldn't I?," said Natsu, who was beginning to advance in on them with his blazing fire. "Is he your property?"

"No one's my property!"

The dragonslayer cracked his knuckles angrily. "Step back. If you think you're the hero, you're wrong."

"Who says I'm _trying_ to be the hero?," Lucy irately shouted back at him.

"You don't even have to say anything!," Natsu defiantly answered with a hint of exasperation. "One look at you and there you are, trying to save the day. Can you even accept_, just this once_, that you couldn't do anything sensible?"

_You couldn't do anything sensible!_

The simple words pinched Lucy's little heart and punctured it permanently, for it stung so much, having to hear it from Natsu's once ignorant mouth. So that's all she was.

_Trying to save the day, huh?_

"You think I couldn't do anything sensible compared to you?," Lucy slowly asked.

"Please. People don't even have to compare us to come up with that fact."

_Ouch_. Another pierce in the heart.

Lucy swallowed and held back her warm tears. She adjusted her posture and faced Natsu with remarkable courage. "Fine. I'm going to prove to you that I'm not weak."

Gray grabbed her arm desperately. "Lucy-"

"Let me do this," Lucy insisted with a serious tone. "Just this once."

So the helpless stepped back, and watched as the helped and the helpful started off with their war concerning everything they ever were and everything they were going to be.

Lucy inhaled a breath of fishy-smelling air and raised her gleaming golden keys into the sky.

_Just this once…_

…_I'm going to make you regret it, Natsu Dragneel._

* * *

><p><em>Longest chapter ever!<em>

Happy? Irritated? Fuming mad? Contented? No emotion at all?

Let your voices and opinions be heard, it's just a click away! Oh, and look, I included some GraCy in this chapter. I wanted it to be more GrayXLucy, but, oh well, we still have the thickheaded Natsu coming.

I noticed it's kinda OOC, but let me know what you think (come on, it doesn't hurt to review once in a while!)

**I used this line in another story of mine, so I hope you wouldn't make a fuss over it^_^

I loooove the guys who point out what they like and what they don't like in every chapter, it helps me learn as an author. By the way, Christmas is coming soon so I hope I'll have plenty of time to upload new chapters:

Check my other stories out, guys! I'd gladly appreciate it.

~Lots of Love,

Buttercupbella


	6. When It's Time For Crying

I've recently noticed that there are fewer reviews and more favorites or alerts. Well, it makes me happy but… can you guys do me a favor? To my readers, don't hesitate to leave a review, good or bad; it's okay. It helps me as an author. Thank you so much! ^_^

This is another chapter for the guys who kept on reading. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>When it's Time for Crying<strong>

* * *

><p>He blinked once, twice, thrice; but although his eyes seemed tired from blinking, nothing seemed to be out of ordinary.<p>

Except the fact that for the first time, he was acting harsh and careless about his best friend.

Well, Natsu wasn't to blame, either. It was like a minute ago when Lucy had returned the kind of love he gave, then several seconds after, she was taking the pleasure of sunset with Gray.

Really. Could she get _any_ _more pathetic_?

Despite Natsu's growing jealousy, he could see that she was _trying really hard_ to make him jealous. Natsu laughed bitterly. _Just what is she doing?_

Next thing he knew, Lucy was challenging him to a duel just to prove her strength. He mocked her sincere statement and choked on the irony. "_You_? Asking _me_ for a battle?"

"Of course you heard it right," Lucy snapped, fishing her keys out and gritting her teeth in annoyance. "Why, are you…_afraid_?"

The dragonslayer clutched his stomach in intimidating glee and after which, he pulled Lucy's pearl white collar forcefully, then looked her closely in the eye.

"Are you _actually_ sure of what you're saying?," he snarled, gripping Lucy's clothes tighter until her neck was constricted and she could no longer breathe. "_Are you sure you want to die?"_

Lucy punched him in the gut, feeling sorry that she had ever loved such a beast and not someone else that she deserved. "Who _the hell _said I want to die, _flame brain_?," she retorted, noticing Natsu's twitching expression.

Looking away from his _supposed_ girlfriend, he cracked his knuckles and wanted to back out. He wanted to say sorry and hug her frail body. He wanted to make sure that they were never going to be separated, ever again.

But, no, he didn't. Lucy had wounded his pride, and for that alone, she should pay terribly.

_Who the hell said I want to die, flame brain?_

Natsu growled in hatred and said, "Bring. It. On."

Her fingers wobbly from the fear that Natsu had lost his sanity, Lucy raised all her keys and closed her eyes. _You're making the same mistake again, Natsu…_

"From the depths of the Spirit world, I therefore summon all of the Celestial spirits. Hear thee, heaven!"

A golden gate emerged and it shone with dazzling brilliance, and when the blinding glow faded, all of her stellar spirits had appeared, serious as ever.

Loke stepped in front of his beloved mage and scowled at his opponent. "And so I thought you loved her."

"Yeah, I thought so, too, _but it turns out I was wrong_," Natsu replied recklessly.

Loke tried to control himself and his anger. "Do you want to lose her again?"

"Lose her again? For God's sake_, I've lost her ever since_! How could I lose her again when the real Lucy still isn't brought back to me?" barked Natsu.

Lucy's heart dropped a thousand leagues beyond the world's core. It wasn't meant to be like this. She wanted to apologize and kiss him, but Natsu had wounded her pride badly and practically spit to her face that she was losing herself.

So, she thought, there was no going back now. Lucy looked up in determination and declared, "If I win, I'll leave Fairy Tail. For good."

"Not on my watch," Natsu snorted. "Besides, you're not going to win."

Aquarius joined the shambolic arguments and let her fury flood Natsu's well being. She smirked and gestured for the other spirits to follow.

Natsu did nothing but erupt into flames and dodge the attacks.

Loke kicked his shin but failed, because Natsu was fast enough. What the boy didn't see, though, was Cancer readying his razor-sharp scissorhands. He stabbed them into Natsu's sculpted back.

All Natsu could do was moan, and he coughed up blood, sending chilly glares to Lucy.

Lucy looked down and stopped herself from feeling sympathy.

Gray had escaped through the forest, hastily dashing off to Fairy Tail, wanting to get help from the others to persuade the two to stop fighting.

Meanwhile, Natsu fired and fired balls of orange fire, never hitting Lucy directly. Lucy noticed that, too, but she was afraid and assured that she wouldn't fall for his traps again.

The spirits ganged up on Natsu, who was once their friend, their master's lover, but then things had to change and he turned into the enemy. They came swiftly with their fatal blows.

Taurus.

Aries.

Aquarius.

Scorpio.

Gemi and Mini.

Cancer.

Virgo.

Hologorium.

Loke.

And even Plue, actually.

Soon, Natsu was sputtering crimson all over the place, but he wiped the corners of his mouth and groggily stood up. "Y-you… done y-yet?"

Lucy's eyesight faltered the moment she glimpsed at the limping boy who was walking towards her. He may be weak, but Natsu definitely doesn't give up.

She staggered backward and cupped her shivering palms around her mouth. What had she done?

What had she done for the pavement to be stained red with rusty blood?

Natsu gritted his teeth in absolute resentment. His scarf had been tattered; his body inflicted of irreparable lacerations. His once jolly features were replaced by cold and steely ones. With one fist clamped onto the side of his waist, Natsu walked over to the girl he loves.

Yes, _loves_.

He paced rather threateningly, but deep inside, he still loved her. Despite her obliviousness of the inconvenient truth, he still did. So much.

Natsu didn't mind the nagging pain on his ribs and arms, he never concentrated on the major injuries he had. But he was breathing in a ragged manner.

He was breathing in a ragged manner because it was his heart that was aching endlessly.

"H-how… has it come t-to this,… L-Lucy..H-heart..p-philia?," he inquired rather sounding hurt, clutching his chest.

Lucy raised her sweat beaded eyebrows and more tears flooded her bloodshot eyes.

_First time he ever called me by my whole name._

"Because of you," Lucy replied, barely whispering.

It was Natsu's turn to raise his own eyebrow. "W-what…did y-you say?"

"It's because of you," Lucy replied. "You get hurt all the time."

"You sacrifice yourself for me. It's because they knew we _were_ in love with each other. They know I'm your weak point."

"I went to Gray…because somehow, I can lie to them and make it look like we're just nakama."

Natsu tried to bite his tongue from saying it but he couldn't resist the building deception. "A-and we… are."

"Yes," Lucy looked down in shame. "We are. I want to prove that I don't need to be the weak point of anybody. I don't want them to hurt you, Natsu."

Although Natsu was quite empty-brained, he spat, "H-hurt…me? Y-you're…you're h-hurting me now!"

He lifted his hand as if he was going to slap her, but he stopped, and sank to the ground in a helpless stance. The dragonslayer lay down on the cold, moist cobblestone road and closed his eyes in mourning. "Y-you…still…shouldn't…win…"

"I already have," Lucy said, turning her back from him.

"C-come…back…"

"I can't," she said again. "Not when the only person to come back for is you."

An enigmatic hole mystically appeared in front of her, sucking her past away and inviting her to a less painful future.

"STOP!," a shrill voice screamed amidst the icy atmosphere. "Lucy-chan! Don't go!"

It was Levy.

"Lucy-chan!"

Mirajane.

"Don't ever think about going into that hole!"

Gazille.

"Lu-chan…"

Wendy.

"Lucy-"

Juvia.

"Wait, Lucy!"

Jet and Droy.

"What are you planning to do, Lucy?"

Elfman and Evergreen.

"LUCY!"

Erza.

"Are you serious, my child?"

Master Makarov.

"Lucy! Please! Listen to me!"

Gray.

A hundred other voices echoed into the background, murmuring Lucy's name forlornly and pleading her not to go.

She didn't move an inch. She didn't turn to look at them. She simply looked ahead into the gateway to whatever life had tossed to her.

"S-see…y-you're going to…leave…many people…behind."

Natsu.

Sure, she was going to leave many people behind.

But it was for the better, right?

With that conclusion, she jumped into the opening, realizing she was falling into a deep gloomy abyss.

But they were still calling out for her.

She put her last ounce of energy into whipping her head back, to run back to her newfound family and assure them that it was all just a nightmare, to wake up the next day and go to a mission like nothing had ever happened.

She expected welcoming arms and overflowing tears.

Too late.

She was engulfed by total darkness.

* * *

><p>Natsu's elbows slumped hopelessly into the ground. <em>She's gone. For real.<em>

Gray hastily picked Natsu up and slammed his fists down the other boy's face. "WHY THE HELL, NATSU?"

"C-come on, she defeated m-me-"

"SO WHAT?," Gray pounded on his chest. "SO WHAT, FLAME BRAIN?"

Erza pulled Gray by his clothes and shoved him to the side. "Beat it, guys."

Natsu glowered on his useless hands. "I-I let her go t-this time."

"TO HELL, NATSU! YOU LET HER GO A _MILLION_ TIMES ALREADY!"

"I said stop it!," Erza snapped at the fuming ice mage. "Just let Lucy do whatever she wants."

"THEN WHAT?," Gray grabbed Erza's neck in rage, though she was obviously superior compared to him. "THEN WHAT? I'LL FIND HER DEAD? WAKE UP, PEOPLE!"

Erza didn't respond, and instead left them with their unsolved matters. She shrugged it off and swallowed the warm feeling she had. Gray did the same.

Soon, all the others followed her and his trail. Except Natsu.

He sobbed to his own accord. It was sheer irony. First he was mad and totally out of his mind, then here he is, weeping for the mistake he had done with his own will.

The remaining girl attended to him, a concerned expression played on her face. She caressed her nakama tenderly on the hair and kissed his forehead.

When she averted her eyes, however, a small smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

She hushed Natsu down. "Don't worry, Natsu-kun. Soon, it'll be okay…I promise."

Natsu sniffed and buried his face into her shoulders.

"Thanks…"

"…Lisanna."

* * *

><p>AN: So how was it? Good? Bad? And so I made it short^_^

I ask you for reviews. *falls down on knees* Pretttyyy preeeetttyy pllleeeaaassseee?

I haven't had inspiration lately, so if this story doesn't have fifteen more reviews soon, maybe I'll be losing it and will discontinue the fic. Sorry for the inconvenience but that's just the way my brain works

However, I would like to thank all of my readers for their continuous support. Keep sending me words of encouragement and I swear that I won't fail you guys.:

And to confirm your suspicions, yes, it is Lisanna. It's OOC but I don't know. It just comes and goes.

{buttercupbella reading as a reader: hell no! Lisanna? Come on! I just hated her guts the first time I saw her in the manga!XT}

{buttercupbella as author: yeah, yeah right. I hate her too but it's not gonna work since it would be biased already.}

{as a reader: so does that mean that Lisanna and Natsu's gonna be together? Gosh. I suddenly had the urge to stop reading this story.:((}

{as an author: not gonna spoil the next chapters;) and HEY! You pinky swore that you were going to finish this! *runs off to the corner and emits black aura*}

{as a reader: ….on one condition. LuNa all the way. Got it?}

{as an author: *thinking about it*}

{Gray: the hell? Just get on with it already, pen brain! It's so long I'm gonna yawn. Zzzz. And don't divulge the next scenes, 'cause I just read them and it's kinda…well, that's left out for the readers. Plllttt:P}

Read on! (and don't mind my preference for Natsu and Lucy. Though Gray wouldn't mind being with Lucy soon…right, Gray?)

:3 buttercupbella


	7. Prison Break

Because I'm bored and I dug this out of my files. I just realized that the last time I wrote for this story was last year, so I apologize to the people who (might) have been waiting for an update. There is probably no one waiting for this anymore Anyway, read on, if you insist.

**Note:** This occurs before Jellal gets out of jail. (Of course it does! Why else would I make the title as it is? Okay, let's just get on with it.)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

**Prison Break**

* * *

><p>Natsu watched eagerly as Mirajane crushed a heap of ice cubes for Cana's alcoholic drinks. He listened to the crunching sound, the painful breaking of something that would eventually melt later on. Every ounce of force Mirajane applied to the frozen water would radiate and reach Natsu's shattered heart, pulverizing it even more. But it would remain beating as long as he knew Lucy was alive and safe, and out there somewhere.<p>

Gray was busy reforming the ice shavings from Cana's splattered beverage, rearranging the particles to that of a heart's shape. He made it compact with the tightening of his fist. He needed to make it invincible. He needed to strengthen his icy heart, needed to stay strong to protect Lucy (though as he strengthened his grip, the more the ice crystals slipped away), if ever she came back. Gray was left waiting in the dark, and that was all he could do to make the sunshine return to him again.

Mirajane's hair stood up eerily the moment she sensed two guys' eyes on her, staring warily at the crushed ice she was gripping in her palm. If looks could kill, she would've been double dead right now. As she poured the crystals over a glass of vodka, those glaring eyes followed slowly, as if they were hunting for their next prey. She sighed nervously and paused at her work.

All these had happened, and still, Cana was too smitten with the tempting whiff of her newly- prepared drink to notice.

The gigantic mahogany doors creaked open in a turtle's pace, and as everyone shielded their eyes from the intense radiation, Gildarts stepped in and blew a strand of golden hair from his face. He strutted over Juvia and Lisanna's table. "Hey, water girl, anything wrong with those dweebs over there?" He pointed to the awkward scenario at the wine bar, Natsu squinting at Cana's mug, Gray pounding on ice, Mirajane freezing up and blushing, and Cana, as usual, drinking.

"Everything," Juvia replied sullenly, twirling her deep blue locks while gazing upon nothing in particular. "Ever since Lucy-chan left, we've been like this."

At the mere mention of Lucy's name, Natsu and Gray hastily stood up, heading for the exit with their shoulders obviously tense. Gildarts smirked and rubbed his chin. "That's it? You'll both walk away? Ha. You don't remember what I said about fear, don't you?"

"I'm not afraid," Natsu snapped. "I'm mad."

"No. You're afraid,"" mused Gildarts, "because you'll never see her again."

Natsu pounded his palm in front of Gildarts' table, leaning a bit nearer to his ear. "You don't know how it feels like, so please, no more talking."

Gray rolled his eyes. "Not afraid, Gildarts. Like what he said. Mad."

Lisanna rose from her seat. "Just stop this. Let's pretend nothing happened, and Fairy Tail was just the way it was before. It's so sad to see-"

"Nothing happened? Lisanna, a lot of things happened, and I would never give up, ever. Did I give up on you when you disappeared?," Natsu retorted gently. He shrugged Lisanna's expression off and went out of the guild. Little did they know, he was coming back dragged across the pavement.

* * *

><p>Stabbing her fork down a sponge cake, Erza gritted her teeth and slumped across the table. "This sucks."<p>

For the second time around, the doors burst open, partially startling the mages. But this time, it wasn't a lone figure which was standing in the doorway. Hooded people abound, their golden cloaks shimmering against the rays of the setting sun. The one in the front had a sleek black cover up and porcelain skin, and was grasping the collar of Natsu's vest. The said silhouette tossed the bleeding and unconscious mage towards his guildmates.

The leader was a girl.

"Fairy Tail again, hm. Trouble makers, without a doubt. Especially this ridiculous dragon slayer."

Erza transfigured her sword and faced the leader, though she still couldn't see the girl's face. "Who are you, and why is our comrade beaten up?"

Someone from the right said, "We are the newly-elected council, Titania. Dragneel here has wrecked almost half of Magnolia's suburbs. It is just the right punishment for a crime like that."

Erza winced, not because of Natsu's groggy state, but because of the familiarity of the girl's tone. Was it Ultear?

"We shall go and attend other affairs of ours," the girl spoke, a sly smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Let this be your last chance, Fairy Tail. I hope you make the most out of it." No one uttered a word.

Wendy managed to sneak beside the red haired mage and take a scrutinizing look at the girl. "W-wait—we accept our comrade's wrongdoing but…could we at least know who you are?"

"We told you we're-"

"Hush," the girl behind the black cloak earnestly grinned and waved her companion off, then began removing her hood. Blond hair spilled out and she smiled again. "Perhaps you can take this as a lesson, which is to never meddle with the council again."

Erza swallowed and she laced her fingers tighter around the hilt of her weapon. The hood was removed at last, and the girl shook her head to steer clear of any loose hair dangling in her face. Everybody gasped, and she only closed her eyes in satisfaction.

"I-it can't be—" Erza stuttered, stumbling on a series of words. Her eyes glinted and she desperately grabbed the girl's neck. Mirajane's eyes flooded with tears, and Makarov wasn't even there. "You look like—like—"

"Lucy Heartphilia?," the girl questioned, instantly pushing Erza away with no effort, but with tremendous force. Erza collided with the bar and she crawled, looking up at their merciless visitor.

The girl bent down on one knee and eyed Erza closely. "You have to remember that the weak can be strong, Erza."

Too much engulfed in horror, the mages watched, as the council turned their backs and walked away. However, the girl stopped in her tracks and whispered, "I look like her, don't I?"

No one replied.

She turned around and smiled again, nefariously. "That is because I _am_ Lucy Heartphilia."

Natsu blinked and found himself in the infirmary, all of his skin bandaged. He touched his swollen eye and snarled, "Those council members! What do they think they're doing?"

Wendy hushed him down and delicately pushed his head to the pillow. "You're not yet well, Natsu-kun."

"Wait, Natsu," Erza pulled his scarf, "What did you say about the council?"

"They kicked a starving kid away when he was just begging for help," Natsu growled. "The leader—he just—I got furious and—"

Erza folded her arms suspiciously. "It's not a he, Natsu."

"What are you talking about? I heard his voice!"

"The leader is a girl," Erza muttered. "What's worse—"

"It isn't possible, I heard a man!" Natsu cut off and squealed.

"I said," Erza continued sternly, "what's worse, it's someone we know."

Wendy sobered up, and turned to the silent Gray, who in turn looked to the bickering Cana. She showed them her card. "Deception," she said.

"Who is it?," Natsu asked, balling his fist in annoyance. "I'll make her pay—"

Silence hung in the air, and looking between his visitors, Natsu demanded, "Who is it? Come on!"

"Just whom we were looking for," Erza finished, then left without another word. Even though Natsu was dense, he fell back, staring at Cana's card. _Deception, huh?_

She had deceived him twice already.

* * *

><p>Gray sniffed, and apparently, he wasn't embarrassed that Juvia was watching him cry.<p>

"Juvia can make it stop, Gray-sama," Juvia whimpered, patting his back softly. "Water is Juvia's domain so—"

"You can't," Gray said, his eyes blank from sadness. "If you can, I could've frozen my tears a long time ago."

Juvia nodded with grief, and then rain started to pour, drenching the both of them with more agony.

"It's the least Juvia can do," Juvia said. "Juvia can't make you smile, so Juvia just cries with you."

Gray looked up and his hands were filled with warmth, as Juvia took them and caressed them with her own. "Juvia promises that we will find Lucy-han." She held her pinky out, and Gray did the same, entwining it with Juvia's. They smiled for a brief moment, then let go.

Juvia stood up and walked away. Staring at Juvia's disappearing figure, Gray sighed.

The rain stopped the exact second Gray stopped weeping.

* * *

><p>Erza laid out a blueprint across the desk. "This is a map of the council's fortress."<p>

"We'll be having a heist?," Bixlow asked, eyeing the map closely, especially a certain region.

"Definitely."

Natsu squinted his eyes at the map. "Does that mean we'll be passing by the prison?"

"Yes."

Everyone stared. Fried coughed, Evergreen and Elfman looked at the legends, Alzack and Bisca sneezed, and everybody else pretended to be innocent.

Wendy raised her hand. "Erza-san, I have to be frank but, aren't we going to see Jellal-kun on the way?"

They all slapped their foreheads.

Erza nodded and crossed her legs, smoothing out her pleated maroon skirt. "Of course. I suppose you're asking if I have any plans on raiding the prison and taking him out, hm?"

Wendy nodded in return and everybody groaned.

"I don't, actually," Erza cleared her voice. "It is not in my power to let him go. Besides, that serves as a punishment for all that he's done to us. And remember, we're here to take Lucy back and that's all that matters."

Natsu stood up and pounded on the table. "Erza, this is not just about Lucy. I know we're all concerned for her, and I pretty much want to find out why she's doing this, but you also have to think about what you want to do—I know that it hurts—"

"Screw it," Erza rose from her chair and snarled at Natsu. "You don't know what you're talking about so forget it. Let us resume our meeting concerning Lucy's welfare."

Stomping his foot in frustration, Natsu walked out even before the meeting was adjourned. He lowered his eyes and softly mumbled, "Erza…why are you lying to yourself?"

Unintentionally hearing it, Erza's eyes softened and she stared blankly at the blueprint. She shook her head to stop the thoughts of retrieving Jellal.

_Like what you said, Natsu. It hurts…_

Lisanna caught sight of Erza's melancholic expression and furrowed her eyebrows. She tapped Erza's shoulder and said, "Natsu-kun's right. We should save Jellal-kun first while we're on the way to Lucy-chan." _Or maybe we could just save Jellal and him alone, _she thought.

Erza's body stiffened. "It would cause us much delay. I do not have any intentions of listening to you and Natsu, Lisanna. Don't ever think that Jellal is my soft spot. I made my decision to forget about him long ago, and that decision is final."

Lisanna lowered her sight and balled her fists. _If there's no other way…_

She left the meeting in the armory and proceeded to an old stockroom, full of cobwebs and things unbeknownst to the light. After delving into the darkness for a minute, she cried and buried her face in her hands.

_I've come this far and only a miracle can happen…I was wrong. Maybe Natsu couldn't forget about her all along…_

Lisanna sobbed harder, but suddenly stopped.

…_but maybe __**she**__ can forget about Natsu._


End file.
